Rolling mill

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of the present invention relates to a rolling mill having indented housing posts to allow minimum length work roll chocks to be employed. The work roll chocks and the backup roll chocks are constructed with a minimum of irregular and difficult-to-machine surfaces. In addition, the rails and wheels used to quickly remove and replace the work rolls are connected in a very simple and economical manner to the backup chocks and work roll chocks, respectively, by separate connected bars.

0 United States Patent n51 3,651,679

Shumaker 1 at. 2%, W72

[54] ROLLING MILL [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Charles Storer Shumaker, Glenshaw, Pa. UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Assignee: United Engineering and Foundry Com. 3,312,096 4/1967 Stubbs et al. 72/238 pany, Pittsburgh, 3,208,260 9/1965 Sieger et al. ..72/239 Filedl 1969 Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr pp No: 883,522 Attorney-Henry C. Westm [57] ABSTRACT Foreign l l Priority Data The disclosure of the present invention relates to a rolling mill having indented housing posts to allow minimum length work Jan. 3, 1969 Great Britain ..585/69 mu Chocks to be employed. The work r0 Chocks and the backup roll chocks are constructed with a minimum of irregu- [52] US. Cl ..72/238 1 and difficult to machine surfaces In addition, the rails and [51] Int. Cl ....B21b 31/08 wheels used to quickly remove and replace the work rolls are [58] connected in a very simple and economical manner to the Field of Search ..72/237, 238, 239

backup checks and work roll chocks, respectively, by separate connected bars.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMAR28 m2 sum 1 BF 2 INVENTOR.

Cf/AWLES 5. SHZ/MA/(Efi ATTORNEV,

PATENTEDMARZB I972 sum 2 OF 2 I INVENTOR. CHARLES S. SHUMA/(ER BY 147 7' ORA E VS.

ROLLING MILL In prior mill designs it was customary to provide windows for the mills having a more or less constant dimension so that the length of the chocks of the backup rolls and work rolls had to be designed to extend across the entire width of the windows. This, with respect to the work roll, resulted in substantial added costs in that the chocks had to be made larger than what was necessary to house the bearings so that they may be supported by the housing. Moreover, previous mill designs with respect to the work roll and backup chocks of a 4-high mill, necessitated that the chocks be formed with a complicated configuration. In the case of the chocks of the backup rolls, in many occasions they were provided with long legs to receive one or both of the chocks of the work rolls in addition to upwardly extending projections or legs to which the balance mechanism was attached. In the case of the chocks of the work rolls, they, too, in many cases were formed to have an interrelated or interfitted relationship so that one of the work roll chocks was provided with extending legs to receive the other. The downwardly extending legs formed on the backup and work roll chocks necessitated the drastic relieving of the top of the lower backup roll chock to provide a clearance for the legs of the chocks to accommodate the chocks when they are moved vertically as a result of a change in roll diameter, particularly of the work rolls.

Previous mills also involved a very costly and complicated design for supporting work rolls in the mill incident to their removal and replacement. In most modern mills the work rolls with their chocks were adapted to be replaced as a unit. In this connection, on several occasions rails were permanently mounted between the housings which were used to support the work rolls during roll changing. The rails, being stationarily mounted in the housing, required that the chocks be moved into and out of a supporting engagement with the rails. While suggestions were made to move the rails vertically into and out of engagement with the chocks of the work rolls, these suggestions have not found acceptance because this would add to an already complicated design in addition to the added expense involved.

Many of the aforesaid objections and limitations of previous mills can be seen from a review of U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,260 dated Sept. 28, 1965, which corresponds to British specification No. 946,427 dated Jan. 15, 1964.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a mill construction which will overcome each and every one of the aforesaid objects ina manner which will greatly simplify the roll changing and reduce the initial cost of the mill.

More specifically, it is the object of the present invention to provide in a mill construction indented housings which will permit minimum-width work roll chocks to be employed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the employment of very simply constructed chocks, ones that do not require complicated machine work.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide that the rails provided for work roll changing be mounted through tie-in members to the backup chocks which will be brought into and out of engagement with the wheels carried by one of the work rolls through a similar tie-in member by operation of the usual balance cylinder arrangements for the upper backup roll. The construction of the tie-in members, with respect to their respective chocks, is such that the work rolls are permitted to move away from each other due to the influence of gravity during the roll changing period.

These features and advantages, as well as others, willbe more fully appreciated from the following description of the preferred form of the invention when read along with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a rolling mill incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on lines llIl of FIG. 1 showing the parts in the positionthey assume during rolling, the right-hand portion indicating minimum diameter rolls, whereas the left-hand portion indicates the relation of the parts when employing maximum diameter rolls; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the rolls and other parts in the roll changing position.

With reference to FIG. 1, there are illustrated two pairs of housings l0 and 11 having windows 12 adapted to receive the rolls of a mill. Since the components that go into each housing are identical, reference will be made to only one of the housings and its components. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the center of the windows 12 the housings are indented towards the center of the mill on both sides forming portions 13 and 14, the length of which portions substantially equals that of the combined height of the work roll chocks l5 and 16. Portions l3 and 14, in the usual manner, are provided with liners 17 which engage liners 18 formed on the work roll chocks 15 and 16. The chocks 15 and 16 rotatably mount work rolls 19 and 21, respectively, and the lower chock 16 includes two balance cylinder assemblies, one of which is shown at 22, it being appreciated that a similar cylinder is mounted on the right-hand side of the chock 16, which, although not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is shown in FIG. 1.

The upper and lower portions of the windows 12 receive in a usual manner the backup chocks 23 and 24 which rotatably support the backup rolls 25 and 26 making the mill a 4-high mill in which the work rolls are supported by the backup rolls in the customary manner. The upper and lower portions of the windows 12 have liners 27 and 28 which engage liners 29 and 31 secured to the backup chocks 23 and 24. The lower chock 24 is mounted on a filler block 25 which, in turn, is carried by the bottom of the housing. Also, according to general practice, the upper backup roll chock is engaged by a bearing block 33 which, in turn, engages the bottom of the mill screw 34 rotatably mounted in the top of the housing. In addition, the upper backup chock 23 is connected to the legs 35 of a backup roll balance cylinder assembly, the legs being urged upwardly to effect the balancing of a piston cylinder assembly Turning again to the upper backup chock 23, it will be noted that its lower end is provided with projections 37 and 38 which are engaged separately by vertically extending bars 39 and 41. The bars have projections 42 and 43 which engage the projections 37 and 38 during the roll changing operation for the work rolls. The bars 39 and 41 are provided with stops 44 and 45 which prevent the bars from moving below a predetermined point, at which point the stops 44 and 45 engage the portions 13 and 14 of the housing. The bars 39 and 41 project through the portions 13 and 14 and, at their lower ends, are provided with rails 46 and 47 which, as shown in FIG. 1, extend through both housings 10 and 11 and, at the operating side of the mill, extend past the housing where they cooperate with a roll changing apparatus, not shown, which could take the form of a turntable shown in the aforesaid United States and British patents.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower backup chock 24 is relieved in the vicinity of the rails 46 and 47 to accommodate the lowermost position of the rails, which is shown at the right of FIG. 2. This position, as noted above, is the position the parts assume when minimum diameter rolls are being employed and, it will be noted in again referring to the right-hand side of FIG. 2, that the bar 41 is out of engagement with the upper backup chock 23 and is carried by the stop 45, which is in engagement with the portion 14 of the housing 11.

It will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the chocks 15 and 16 of the work rolls are connected to each other by means of separate bars 49 and 51, the bars being secured to the upper work roll chock 15 and extending through the lower work roll chock 16, although the lower work roll chock is allowed to move relative to the bars. At the lower ends of the members 49 and 51, wheels 50 are rotatably secured. As shown in FIG. 3, the bars 49 and 51 are provided with openings 52 and the lower chock 16 is provided with pins 53 which serve as stops when the lower work roll chock, by gravity, is allowed to fall away from the upper chock which is still being held by the bars 49 and 51.

A brief description of the removal of the work rolls from the mill will now be given, in which connection FIGS. 2 and 3 allow a ready comparison of the operating position of the elements as distinguished from the roll changing position which is shown in FIG. 3. During operation of the mill, as depicted in FIG. 2, the bars 39 and 41 are either supported by the backup chock 23, as shown at the left-hand side of FIG. 2, or by the stops 44 and 45, as shown at the right-hand side of FIG. 2, In any event, the rails 46 and 47 are held out of engagement with the wheels 50 supported by the work roll chocks l5 and 16 so that during the operation of the mill the wheels are never in engagement with the rails. The balance cylinder assembly 22 urges the work roll chocks apart in which the top work roll chock 15 is allowed to move by reason of the openings 52 formed in the bars 49 and 51. This movement is defined by the maximum roll gap that may be set by the screw 34. During operation, the balance cylinder 36 is in operation to raise the backup chock 23 against the screw.

When it is desired to change the work rolls, the screw 34 is raised and with the pressure in the cylinder 36 the upper backup roll 25 is also raised so as to positively engage the projections 42 and 43 and lift the bars 39 and 41 so that the rails 46 and 47 will come into a supporting relationship with the wheels 50 of the work roll chocks 15 and 16, this relationship being shown in FIG. 3. As the wheels are displaced by the rails, the bars 49 and 51 are caused to rise which affects displacement of the top work roll chock 15 away from the lower work roll chock 16 an amount determined by the stops 53 engaging the bottom of the openings 52 of the bars 49 and 51. When this occurs, as shown in FIG. 3, the work rolls are separated and may be rotated relative to each other, particularly relative to the spindle coupling so as to align them with the couplings when the rolls are brought back into the mill.

With the parts assuming the positions illustrated in FIG. 3, namely, with the work rolls supported by the rails 46 and 47, the work rolls are removed from the mill relative to the backup rolls 25 and 26 by a means not shown. This could take the form of an injector, as illustrated in the aforesaid United States and British patents, or a means on the operators side for pulling the work rolls as a unit from the mill. The replacement of the work rolls is done in a manner which, basically, is the reverse of the described procedure and, for this reason, it will not be described.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

1. In a rolling mill comprising a pair of spaced-apart housings, vertical windows formed in said housings for receiving upper and lower work roll assemblies and upper and lower backup roll assemblies,

bearing chocks mounted on the opposite ends of said roll assemblies,

connecting bars for each upper backup bearing chock having one of their ends supported by said bearing chocks in a manner that the connecting bars are displaceable on vertical movement of said upper backup bearing chocks,

rails mounted on the other end of said connecting bars,

said rails extending between said housings,

connecting bars mounted on each upper work roll bearing chock extending towards the lower work roll bearing chocks,

support means mounted on the lower end of said work roll bearing chock connecting bars located above said rails,

first means for connecting said work roll bearing chock connecting bars to said lower chocks in a manner to allow relative movement between the opposed work roll bearing chocks, and

second means for causing said work roll connecting bars to engage said first means to limit said relative movement of the work roll bearing chocks and cause the opposed work roll bearing chocks to move to ether. 2. In a rolling mill according to c arm 1 where each housing includes a pair of opposed projections extending into said windows and providing support surfaces for the bearing chocks of said work rolls,

vertical openings in said projections,

said upper backup roll connecting bars received in said openings, and

support surfaces formed on said work roll chocks in engagement with said support surfaces of said projections.

3. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said lower work roll bearing chocks are provided with projecting pins and said work roll connecting bars are provided with openings for receiving said pins,

the construction being such that the openings provide for relative movement between work roll bearing chocks until the pins are brought into engagement with the sur' faces formed by said openings.

4. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said upper backup roll connecting bars and said upper backup roll bearing chocks are constructed and arranged to move relative to each other.

5. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein the said upper backup roll bearing chocks are connected to a roll balance system for causing vertical movement of the upper backup roll bearing chocks and wherein piston cylinder assemblies are arranged in said lower work roll bearing chocks for urging the work rolls apart.

6. In a rolling mill according to claim 5 wherein the length of said backup chock connecting bars is sufficiently long with reference to the location of said work rolls that a clearance is provided between the rails and said support means during operation of the mill,

and wherein the stroke of said backup roll balancing system is such as to take up said clearance to cause the rails to engage said support means and lift the lower work roll off the lower backup roll and allow the upper work roll to separate itself from the lower work roll. 

1. In a rolling mill comprising a pair of spaced-apart housings, vertical windows formed in said housings for receiving upper and lower work roll assemblies and upper and lower backup roll assemblies, bearing chocks mounted on the opposite ends of said roll assemblies, connecting bars for each upper backup bearing chock having one of their ends supported by said bearing chocks in a manner that the connecting bars are displaceable on vertical movement of said upper backup bearing chocks, rails mounted on the other end of said connecting bars, said rails extending between said housings, connecting bars mounted on each upper work roll bearing chock extending towards the lower work roll bearing chocks, support means mounted on the lower end of said work roll bearing chock connecting bars located above said rails, first means for connecting said work roll bearing chock connecting bars to said lower chocks in a manner to allow relative movement between the opposed work roll bearing chocks, and second means for causing said work roll connecting bars to engage said first means to limit said relative movement of the work roll bearing chocks and cause the opposed work roll bearing chocks to move together.
 2. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 where each housing includes a pair of opposed projections extending into said windows and providing support surfaces for the bearing chocks of said work rolls, vertical openings in said projections, said upper backup roll connecting bars received in said openings, and support surfaces formed on said work roll chocks in engagement with said support surfaces of said projections.
 3. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said lower work roll bearing chocks are provided with projecting pins and said work roll connecting bars are provided with openings for receiving said pins, the construction being such that the openings provide for relative movement between work roll bearing chocks until the pins are brought into engagement with the surfaces formed by said openings.
 4. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said upper backup roll connecting bars and said upper backup roll bearing chocks are constructed and arranged to move relative to each other.
 5. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein the said upper backup roll bearing chocks are connected to a roll balance system for causing vertical movement of the upper backup roll bearing chocks and wherein piston cylinder assemblies are arranged in said lower work roll bearing chocks for urging the work rolls apart.
 6. In a rolling mill according to claim 5 wherein the length of said backup chock connecting bars is sufficiently long with reference to the location of said work rolls that a clearance is provided between the rails and said support means during operation of the mill, and wherein the stroke of said backup roll balancing system is such as to take up said clearance to cause the rails to engage said support means and lift the lower work roll off the lower backup roll and allow the upper work roll to separate itself from the lower work roll. 